Union



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. G. GOODWIN,

SEWING MACHINE. No. 583,396. Patented May 25,1897.

llllillllllllll I (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. O. G'OODWIN. SEWING MACHINE.

No. 583,396.- Patented May 25, 1897.

[ iii IT G! I l I! NITED STATES PATENT ries.

JULIUS C. GOODWIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIONSPECIAL SEIVING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 583,396, dated May 25,1897. Application filed November 18, 1896. Serial No. 611,955. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JULIUS C. GOODWIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia, State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSewing Machines, of which the following is a description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon.

My invention relates to an improvement in sewing-machines, andparticularly to an improved construction of the presser-foot therefor;and the object is to provide a device composed of a number ofindependently-acting parts whereby proper pressure may be exerted uponthe fabric to hold it in position, even though a piece of goods ofvarying thicknesses may be passing through the machine.

The invention consists, primarily, of a presser-foot provided with aseries of independently-acting parts capable of adjusting themselves toany thickness of fabric and at the same time obtaining a proper pressureupon the goods at all points of contact.

My invention also consists in the matters hereinafter described, andreferred to in the appended claims.

The invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of I a sewing-machine as isnecessary for a complete understanding of the invention. Fig. 2 is aperspective view from the rear side showing the device in use where twopieces of goods are folded together and passed through the machine. Fig.3 is a similar view showing the apparatus when used upon the machine forcovering thetrimmed seams of fabrics. Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 3.Fig. 4 is a perspective view, partly in section, showing the manner ofpivoting the central section. Fig. 5 represents the under side of thefabric shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the presser-foot.

In the drawings the machine shown is of well known Union Special type,and is herein shown as provided with two needles set oblique to eachother respecting the line of feed.

A represents the cylindrical bed-plate of the machine.

]3 is the needle-lever.

C is the needle-bar.

D is a folder such as I prefer to use on a machine.

E represents the fabric to be sewed.

The presser-bar is shown at F and at its lower end is provided with aflattened collar G, secured thereto by the set-screw 1. This collar isprovided with a downwardly-extending thinned portion 2, to which arepivoted two parts 3 and 5 of the presser-foot. Each of these parts 3 and5 is pivotally secured to the flattened portion 2 by means of apivotscrew 6, and at its rear end is provided with an eye 7, in which ishooked or otherwise secured the lower end of a spiral spring 8, fastenedat its upper end to a ring 9. This ring 9 is secured on aninwardly-extending lug or arm 10, and by means of these springs the rearends of the parts 3 and 5 of the presserfoot are kept normally up andthe forward or the part which cooperates with the presserfoot to clampthe goods is kept normally depressed. The central part 4 of thepresserfoot is pivoted to the lower part 2 of the collar, as shown inFig. 4, and has a slight swinging movement, as is common in connectionwith the Well-known Union Special machines, and not deemed necessary ofillustration here. The upward movement of the forward portions of theparts 3 and 5 is limited by means of the cam-shaped portions 11, whichfit against the shoulders formed on the collar G, and stops 12 limit thedownward movement of said forward portions, said stops 12 contactingwith the central part 4 of the presserfoot.

It will be seen that when, as shown in Fig. 2, two pieces of goods areto be folded together and united, as in the making of shirts, overalls,&c., one of the partsas, for example, 3will bear on the single thicknessof the fabric and act as a guide for the edge of the welt, the otherpart 5 will press down on the upper single thicknessof fabric 13 and soact as a guide for the lower edge 14 of the welt, while the centralportion 4 of the foot acts in the ordinary way.

The great value of a device of this character is also illustrated in thesewing across of the seams-as, for instance, in overalls,where at thepoint where the front seam joins the inside leg-seam there isconsiderable ridge formed and a number of thicknesses of fabric must bepassed through the machine. In this event the parts 3 and 5 bear withpractically equal pressureone, say, on its four thicknesses of goods andthe other one, say, on two thicknesses of goodsand hold the same firmly,preventing any slipping.

In Fig. 3 the use of the device in connection with the covering of seamsis shown, in which the edges of the fabric have first been united andtrimmed, the fabric then spread out flat, and the goods fed through themachine to cover the scamas shown, for example, in Fig. 5. It will beseen that in this covering of trimmed seams there will be a greaterthickness where two pieces of fabric are joined together than upon theouter-edges, where only one thickness of fabric is to be stitched. Itthe presser-foot were made in one piece, the whole bGILI'IDgSUII ZICQwould be upon that portion of the seam directly under the center of thefoot and the feed would have no action against the presser-foot upon itsouter edges. By the use of the presserfoot herein shown and describedthese portions 3 and 5 bear upon the single thickness of fabric and actas guides for the edges of the thickened portion, as shown clearly inFig. l. As a further improvement I construct the presser-foot tofacilitate the operations of making felled seams, the two outsidesections of the foot acting as guides in retaining the two folded edgesin close proximity and at equal distances from the needles, while thethird or central section holds down the dif ferent thicknesses of clothwhen folded and in the act of passing under the foot. It will beunderstood that by making the plane of the bottom of the central portionof the foot above the plane of the side portions a natura-l groove, as15, for the reception of the felled seam will be formed, although thecen tral section might be grooved, if desired.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Pat ent, is

1. The herein-described resser-foot having the two outsideguiding-sections whereby the folded edges of the fabric will be kept inclose proximity to and equal distances from the needles, and a centralsection adapted to rest upon the folded goods and having its undersurface above the plane of the under surface of the other section,substantially as shown and described.

2. A presser-foot forsewinganachines, comprising two pivotedindependently acting spring-pressed side sections and a pivoted centralsection, substantially as described.

In a sewing-machine a presser-bar and a presser-foet, comprisingapivoted central section and side sections pivoted to the presserbarwith springs connected at one end to the rear en d of the side sectionsand at the other end to the presser-bar whereby the forward end of saidside sections is normally depressed, substantially as described.

4. In combination with the presser-bar, a collar secured thereto havinga downwardlyextending thinned portion, a presser-foot, sections pivotedthereto, each section having at its rear end an eye, springs secured tosaid eye, rings to which the springs are attached and arms on thepresserbar to which the rings are secured and a central section securedto said collar between the sections 3 and 5, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the presser-bar, a collar secured thereto havinga downwardlyextending thinned portion, a presser-foot-, sections pivotedthereto, each section having at its rear end an eye, springs secured tosaid eye, rings to which the springs are attached and arms on thepresser-bar to which the rings are secured and a central section sccuredto said collar between the sections 3 and 5, and stops for limiting thedownward movement of said sections 3 and 5, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Jones C. GOODWIN.

Vitnesses:

FRANK A. IYIATHEWS, H. F. REARDON.

